BACOLOD City – The Office of Civil Defense–Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) has partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to prioritize the deployment of temporary satellite connectivity through Starlink to restore communication in isolated areas affected by Typhoon “Tino.”
The initiative seeks to reestablish vital communication lines to improve coordination and disaster response operations, the OCD said in a public statement.
According to the agency, NIR suffered severe devastation from Typhoon “Tino,” with destruction reaching areas previously considered safe. Flooding was reported in places that had never experienced it before, while once-secure communities became hazardous in the storm’s aftermath.
The typhoon claimed at least 55 lives, with 64 people still missing in the province of Negros Occidental, while Bacolod City reported no casualties.
The aftermath of the storm resulted in widespread power, telecommunications, and internet outages, severely disrupting communication and making it difficult to reach heavily affected areas—particularly in Negros Occidental, which bore the brunt of the typhoon’s impact.
Several Local Government Units (LGUs) also reported that their Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) were affected by the outages, hampering coordinated relief and rescue efforts.
On November 4, 2025, following the typhoon’s passage, OCD-NIR Regional Director Donato A. Sermeno III led field assessments in Central Negros to evaluate the situation.
The OCD team witnessed firsthand the extent of the devastation. In Pontevedra, fallen trees littered the roads, and darkness prevailed due to the ongoing power outage. Search and rescue units continued to operate tirelessly, particularly in Barangay Don Salvador Benedicto (Carmen), where rescuers navigated deep floodwaters to save residents trapped by rising waters.
The OCD emphasized that restoring communication remains one of the region’s top priorities, as downed lines continue to hinder the transmission of accurate and timely updates from LGUs./PN
